Whose Invention Is the Printing Press?

Johannes Gutenberg, a German goldsmith and inventor, developed the movable-type printing press around 1440 in Mainz, Germany, revolutionizing the production of books and the spread of knowledge. His key innovation was creating individual metal letter molds (type) that could be rearranged and reused, combined with an oil-based ink and a wooden press adapted from wine and olive presses. The Gutenberg Bible, printed around 1455, was the first major book produced with this technology. Only 49 copies are known to survive, making them among the most valuable books in the world. Before Gutenberg, books were copied by hand or printed from carved wooden blocks — processes that took months per copy.